The Rose of Revolution
by Winter Winks 221
Summary: Belle must help an escaped slave when he runs away from the West Indies- but as she learns of the horrors of mankind and the harm it has brought to a faraway land, will her selflessness to help and defend a stranger be the downfall of her family and friends? (Rated T for now, but rating will go up later on.)
1. Revolution

A/N: This is a very, very old fanfic I dug up from my emails the other day, so I've polished it up and published it! I hope you all enjoy reading and please feel free to review!

Warnings: This fic will contain character death, slavery, racism and mentions of torture and rape. Most of this happens later- just warning you now.

Without further ado, I give you...The Rose of Revolution!

Silence falls over the square as the white snow crunches under the prisoner's feet like a path of discarded bones. The boot clad feet making the footprints- and thus the only audible sound- belong to a dignified and slightly stout woman of 54 years, being led onto the guillotine in the cold, cutting winter of 1789.

She places her head through the hole without another word, feeling the wood caressing her neck. She closes her eyes for a moment, knowing that this would be the last thing she would feel, before

"Mama!" a tiny, high pitched voice cries across the crowd.

"Belle- my love!" A deeper, masculine voice calls out.

Opening her eyes, she looks to the left- over to where the voices had come from, even though she knows them both well. Two terrified faces peer out from wooden cages standing nearby, longing for their freedom and for their matriarch to be free from her bonds of death.

The queen looks up, and smiles a small, sad smile. Her hazel eyes, once aflame with kindness, courage and curiosity, are now dulled by the horrors she, her husband and their child face. Yet, a small spark of her old bravery remains, determined to see out the end of her life in as much dignity as she could- just as she had once given up her freedom years ago to a beast.

She surveys the crowd now baying for her blood, and near the front spies an aged and horrified Cogsworth, supported by his younger friend Lumiere and a now adult Chip- his dear mother, Mrs Potts, had died 2 years ago of old age.

They are the only loyal friends she and her family had left.

Unless...

No, he wouldn't...it would be too dangerous for him to come here.

It sickens her to think that she had once strolled along the streets of her little home town, dreaming of how she would travel the world someday.

Now, she was on the brink of death by the same people who once regarded her as odd and queer- simply for knowing the pleasures of a good book.

"The monarchy must die!" Yells a butcher roughly, and the crowd cheer as the executioner gets ready to drop the guillotine on her.

Closing her eyes, she thinks back to all that had happened since the month leading up to her coronation, and also up to now- and she feels tears burn in her eyes- a contrast to the cold, biting winds attacking her face and sinking their icy teeth into her pale skin.


	2. Cogsworth's Announcement

Cross legged, nestled in an armchair, mesmerised at the tale of a princess and a magical duke on an abandoned island with only spirits for company...until a knock brought her crashing back to the castle library- all beautiful flora and fauna forgotten, the spirits fleeing away, the princess and the duke once more neglected.

Belle looked up from her book at the sound of the knock. "Come in," she said politely, memorising her page number before closing the book with a sigh.

Cogsworth cautiously peeked his head round the door like a timid deer before a hunter's gun, and Belle smiled warmly at her old friend, before uncrossing her legs and rising from her perch.

"I do wish you wouldn't do that, your Highness," Sighed Cogsworth on seeing her sitting cross legged, and Belle smiled sheepishly, brushing a lock of hair away from her face before giving the major-domo a curious look.

"So, what did you need to see me about, Cogsworth?" She asked him, balancing the book on her armrest before crossing the room to meet him. "Is something wrong?"

"Not...not that I know of, your Highness," Answered Cogsworth uncertainly. "But something strange is going on."

"Which is?" Belle queried, fixing her hazel eyes on Cogsworth's brown –black orbs, and she noted with interest- and alarm- that he looked flushed and extraordinarily pale.

"Cogsworth, are you...feeling alright?" She asked him worriedly.

"Yes, yes, I'm perfectly...perfectly fine, your Majesty." He said.

Belle saw through the thinly disguised lie, however, and gently gripped his arm, guiding him to the armchair she had just vacated, ignoring his squawks of protest until she had him sitting down. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Cogsworth, please, I appreciate you and your service to the Royal Household, but something is clearly troubling you and I wish to help you!" She told him.

Cogsworth sighed. When it came to his prince's bride, she was indeed capable of getting her point across and holding her ground on the point she was making. He had learned from many bitter experiences it was never a good idea to challenge a royal, so he conceded with a small sigh and a deflation of his normally tense shoulders.

"You're right, there is something troubling me," he said at last. "Someone wishes to speak to you about a matter of...overseas business."

Belle frowned in confusion. This was something she had not dealt with yet since becoming Adam's wife, and she wasn't too excited to deal with it in the slightest. Also, who wanted to speak to her?

"Alright-I'll do my best, Cogsworth, though I can't make any promises. Now, who wishes to speak to me?" She asked.

Cogsworth twitched, as though realising he had neglected to mention the matter. "Yes...the Captain Adrien wishes to speak to you, your Highness."

Belle nodded, a frown crossing her face as numerous questions formed and swirled in her mind like a mist.

"What does he wish to consult me about?" She asked her friend curiously, brushing another loose strand of hair away from her face, before giving the major-domo a steely look.

"Ah, you see, Belle...he, um, has just returned from the West Indies, and he has expressed concern about a potential...stowaway, if you will."

"That's it?" Belle asked incredulously, raising her eyebrows indignantly. "Well, that's..."

"That's not all," Cogsworth added in alarm. "He says that the stowaway is dangerous, and was not ever meant to make it to the shores of France."

"...and?"

"And yet, someone did. He said it was an escaped slave from a sugar plantation, and has disappeared."

Belle was speechless on hearing this. Why were slaves needed for a sugar plantation? Why did one escape to France? And why was the captain Adrien so concerned about this one escaped slave?

But she couldn't ask questions now, as irked as she was at leaving them unanswered. Her only hope was to speak to this unknown captain and find out answers from him.

"Bring him into the drawing room, Cogsworth," She told him. "Ask Mrs. Potts to bring some tea up for us- and then take the rest of the day off- you look very ill," She said, giving him a friendly kiss on the cheek before helping him rise.

"...thank you, your Majesty- do forgive me," Cogsworth said quietly. Belle only shook her head.

"You have not committed any wrongdoing, Cogsworth." She answered gently. "You have just overworked yourself, and need to rest."

Cogsworth smiled apologetically, before shuffling out of the room. Belle frowned once he closed the door again- this was just as Cogsworth had said before.

This was _very peculiar_.


End file.
